Isabella shelter to use new computer management system

A new computer management system that will provide updates on adoptable pets has been approved for use at the Isabella County Animal Shelter.

County commissioners approved the $1,000 one-time fee to start using PetPoint, a data management system developed by animal control officials and Humane Society employees.

The $1,000 deposit provided by the county includes free training and technical support, and will be more efficient than the system that has been in use at the shelter, according to Humane Animal Treatment Society Marketing Manager Jill Irving.

Last fall, Isabella County Animal Control employees and HATS employees started to look into management systems that would better serve both agencies, Irving said.

With HATS providing management of the shelter, both entities were involved in looking for a new system.

Irving said the shelter’s current management system has started to decline and has become difficult to use because HATS and animal control do not receive updates.

PetPoint, a web-based program, is a free program and can be used as long as the shelter meets its three requirements: microchipping all animals that are adopted from the shelter, use of the PetPoint Adoptable Search Module to place pets on the HATS website and offering the 24PetWatch gift of insurance program to all adopters, Irving said.

Insurance is optional and information is given to adopters, who do not have to buy the product, and HATS does not have to recommend the insurance, Irving said.

All animals that are adopted at the shelter are microchipped, and Irving said PetPoint will update the HATS website with photographs, as well as keep track of those adopting pets from the shelter.

PetPoint markets itself as a comprehensive, easy to use data management system that streamlines operations in shelters and rescue organizations.

It eliminates the need to purchase and maintain hardware, software and data backup systems, according to the company.

Data is kept private, encrypted, secure and available wherever there is an internet connection, according to the company.

Using PetPoint reduces the cost of operations at shelters and rescue organizations by the use of intuitive software, eliminating the need to manually update available pets on the shelter’s website, according to the company.

Irving said the shelter will begin using the system in its entirety this fall.

The county’s approval of the new system comes in the days before the shelter’s scheduled open house for the new spay-neuter clinic.

A grand opening reception will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the shelter, located at 1105 S. Isabella Road in Union Township.

The clinic provides low cost spay and neuter services to those who could otherwise not afford such programs, which is expected to impact the more than 3,000 animals entering the shelter each year.

The health clinic at the shelter is the first of its kind in the region, Irving said.

Susan Field can be reached at 989-779-6075, sfield@michigannewspapers.com or follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/susan.k.field.